Original subtitles

( country theme playing )

Eleven o'clock sharp. Time to go in.

Hope it isn't a wild goose chase.

Her note said that it could lead us to Chang.

It's worth the risk.

( traditional Chinese theme playing )

May I help you?

Yes. Could we have table seven?

Table seven?

This way, please.

So?

So the note said we wait for a message.

Jim.

"The goddess Kuei

shall point the way to the bandit Chang."

Same thing.

Who's the goddess Kuei?

Kuei is the most powerful and wicked

of all the Chinese witches.

What does she look like?

Well, it is said that she wears a mask of evil

to hide her face,

and that the mask is so ugly,

that all who gaze on it are terrified.

Like that one over there?

Exactly like that one.

( chuckles )

That's her.

( fireworks exploding )

Pardon me, did you happen to see

three waiters go through here?

Yeah, they came through here,

went right up that ladder over there.

( action theme playing )

She's been trying to say something,

but so far, no go.

( softly ): Pelican.

( upbeat Western theme playing )

All right, gentlemen.

Get a hold of him.

Jim, how are you?

Fine, lieutenant. How are you?

I don't think you know my friend, Jeremy Pike.

He's my partner.

They married Artie to a desk in Washington

for a few months.

This is Lieutenant Tom Bengston.

Why is the secret service interested in a local killing?

Name Din Chang mean anything to you?

Yeah. We've been trying to get our hands on him

for quite a while, but he's been too slippery.

He finally knocked over a government storage depot.

That's how we got brought into it.

We got a note from a little lady,

saying she could lead us to Chang,

but we never quite got to talk to her.

I take it no one saw anything.

If they did, they don't want to talk about it.

Unfortunately, we don't even know the girl's name.

Can't help you there.

But I do know his name. He's Johnny Dirk.

Johnny Dirk?

This can't be Johnny Dirk, lieutenant,

Johnny Dirk is serving a long stretch

in Fort Alcatraz. Aren't you, Johnny.

Hey, Johnny, how did you manage to get away?

And what happened to-- To your friends?

Why did they leave so hastily and where did they go?

And why was the girl killed?

I think you'd better get him out of here

for the time being.

We'll discuss this with him later.

I still can't figure Din Chang breaking into an arsenal.

He never had too much trouble laying hands on guns before.

How about fulminate of mercury?

That's all he took. Ten barrels of it, Tom.

That's very special stuff.

He could blow up half the city.

Mm-hm. That's what we thought.

This is all she had with her, lieutenant.

WEST: Could I hold on to these things for a while, Tom?

TOM: I don't see why not.

Well, I'm going to head back,

try to get Johnny Dirk to open up,

but don't depend on it.

Talk to you later.

Here we are, no closer to Chang,

and unfortunately we have a dead girl

that no one seems to know.

Or do they?

Last time I saw one of these,

it was making a lion dance.

So the nameless girl was a puppeteer.

Yeah, that's all we have. That and this ring.

At least it's something to work with.

But what does "pelican" have to do with all of this?

Yeah, "pelican." Doesn't connect up at all.

Where does Din Chang fit in?

( knocking on door )

Come in.

Mr. West, Mr. Pike? Yes?

I'm Amy Stafford.

I work for Colonel Blake in San Francisco.

Won't you please sit down, Miss Stafford?

Thank you.

We just received an answer from Colonel Morse,

the commandant at Alcatraz.

"In reply to your inquiry, be advised that John Dirk,

"number 14357, is serving 15 years sentence this fort.

"No possibility of escape.

Currently in isolation, maximum-security wing."

Signed, Kelton Morse,

6th artillery commanding.

If Dirk is still on Alcatraz, who's the man you caught?

Maybe it was his twin brother, Miss Stafford.

Except for the fact that he doesn't have a twin brother.

WEST: No, Jeremy, it wasn't his twin brother.

It was Johnny Dirk.

Then why would Morse lie to us about his being on Alcatraz?

( snaps fingers )

Alcatraz. That's it.

Why didn't I think of it.

In Sonora, Mexico, there is a prison--

And it's called the Alcatraz.

--and what's carved into the gates?

A large bird.

A pelican.

"Alcatraz" is the Spanish word for "pelican."

That's it, that's what that dead girl was trying to tell us.

Somehow Din Chang is tied in to Alcatraz,

and we'd better find out how.

But if what you suspect about it is true,

they're not going to want the secret service

walking around there.

"Amy," wasn't it?

Amy, you've got a point.

( ominous theme playing )

COLONEL: Bottom left, march!

Company, halt!

Left, face!

Welcome to Fort Alcatraz.

I hope you all enjoyed your little boat trip.

It seems your former outfit no longer desire your company,

but we're delighted to have you here.

We have a few simple rules.

Do what you're told when you're told.

Now, some of you men might find it difficult

to learn to live with that,

but one way or another, everybody learns.

Another little rule:

when I talk, you listen.

Oh.

Troublemaker, huh?

All right.

( traditional Chinese music playing )

( speaking in Chinese )

( both mouthing words )

This prisoner swung on Corporal Simon

and is still living?

As a matter of fact,

he knocked the corporal out cold, sir.

Did you now?

Well, that's never been done before.

Why?

A small matter of a stick in my back, sir.

What? Cruel and unusual punishment?

Very much against regulations.

Why did Corporal Simon use a swagger stick

on the prisoner?

What swagger stick, sir?

FREY: Oh, I see.

I don't know why you're here, prisoner,

but it's obvious that in addition to everything else,

you're a chronic liar.

I have his file here.

So your name is Private Court,

and according to the records,

you've declared a one-man war against the Army.

Desertion, breaking out of the guardhouse,

assaulting your commanding officer,

topped off by an unprovoked assault

against a senior guard of Alcatraz!

Do you have anything to say before I pass summary judgment?

Nothing.

Ah, Corporal Simon.

MORSE: Hey!

( door shuts )

Get back to signing those papers, Morse,

or I'll have you thrown back in solitary.

Get up, Court.

Get up!

Come on.

Neat, huh?

Thought you'd like it.

There are 105 iron cannonballs in these three pyramids,

each ball weighs 42 pounds,

and there's only one minor, little problem.

Someone stacked them in the wrong place.

You've got brains too.

On the other side of the parade ground.

Start stacking.

You realize, of course,

that this may ruin our friendship.

I'll take that chance.

Start stacking.

( speaking in Chinese )

Oh, 1000 celestial pardons, ancient one,

but do you have a young lady who assists you?

There are those who interrupt me,

but no one assists me.

Then I am indeed desolated.

Not bad.

Not bad at all.

Just a knack.

Yeah, not bad at all.

The only thing is--

Yeah, I know.

You liked them better where they were before.

Private Court, you're a mind reader.

All right, pick them up,

and put them down on the other side, soldier.

Move!

So now we know your name is--

Correction, was.

--Jasmine Blood.

( traditional Chinese music playing )

( music stops, gong resonating )

( chattering )

MAN: Reverent one,

this unworthy performance is concluded.

Ah, concluded, but not forgotten.

How shrewdly you slew the dragon.

Reverent one, unhappily I must remind you that--

Oh, how bravely you died.

With such wondrous, trailing clouds of smoke.

Accept this miserable dragon's thanks, but--

Oh, it is so sad

that all may not die as gloriously.

WOMAN: Who are you?

One who would have wished Jasmine Blood alive.

You knew my sister?

Better than I know her murderer.

MAN: How do we know you are not the murderer?

If I were, should I fear the sword you hold?

WOMAN: There are swords and swords.

( exhales heavily )

That is indeed a proper sword,

but because of my talisman, I am unafraid.

what do you want?

Din Chang. Where might I find him?

My sister has died before her time.

Now you are asking me to follow her.

Surely, you can tell me something.

Anything that might help me find the one I seek.

Honored sir...

the others-- They are afraid to talk.

Ah, but not you.

I, also. But I'm not afraid to whisper.

Whisper to me then about Din Chang.

No. About a Frenchman.

Jean-Paul. Din Chang's friend.

The friend of my enemy is my enemy too.

Tell me where I may find this Jean-Paul.

There is a warehouse, the New Kowloon.

Now, that I like, soldier.

I know.

But you'd like it better

if they were back over there, right?

I should say not.

It's perfect just the way it is.

Don't you agree?

Yes, sir, soldier. This time you did it good.

Real good.

But I know, you just realized something.

A small thing.

If you could put this cannonball on the top,

And that cannonball...

Right?

That's the idea.

Then it would really be perfect.

( laughs )

Court, you wouldn't be having any of this trouble

if you were a little less touchy.

Now, in the future, when I do this to you--

I'm surprised you're still alive.

You're surprised? So am I, Miss, uh--

At ease, Private Court.

My name is Dr. Gibson.

I have the technical rank of a captain,

and I'm in charge of the infirmary.

Yes, sir, captain.

Furthermore, I know all about you.

All about me?

All.

I've examined you thoroughly.

There are no broken bones,

but you are a mass of contusions and bruises.

Cannonballs usually do have that effect on me.

In addition to which,

I've familiarized myself with your military file.

It isn't the most inspiring record I've ever read.

But that really isn't a true insight

to my inner personality,

my hopes, my dreams, my cares, my fears.

I know a little something about that too.

You were feverish for a while.

Did I reveal anything interesting?

Among other things,

you kept repeating something

that was obviously very much on your mind.

A "Kuei," who seems to be a puppeteer or a witch.

Then something about a Din Chang.

That bunker out there. What goes on?

Don't even ask about that place.

Why not?

I've seen many prisoners go in there.

I've never seen one come out.

How dare you.

You knock before you enter this infirmary!

Sorry about that, Doc.

I've got this order to take the prisoner off your hands

for a little solitary confinement.

I won't allow it.

Private Court is suffering from a fracture of the ulna,

and is unfit for duty.

Now, look here, Doc.

I got this authorization.

And I tell you that the prisoner is unfit for duty.

Since I'm in charge of this infirmary,

he shall not be released.

Sorry, Doc. Orders is orders.

Get up.

I'm unfit for duty, man.

Get him up.

Hold it!

Sold the doc on the idea that you had a broken wing,

huh, soldier?

Well, I got just the place for you to recuperate

till the roses bloom in your cheeks again.

An ideal vacation spot we call the bunkers.

( fireworks exploding )

( bells jingling )

( explosions, jingling stop )

( bells jingle )

( men speaking indistinctly )

MAN: Time is growing short.

Now, when can we expect the shipment?

So Din Chang is growing impatient?

The merchandise--

And be-- Be assured, it is exquisite.

--will be shipped very shortly.

A small reinforcement?

No.

No? Non, alors, non.

And there shortly after,

I-- I Jean-Paul--

Mm?

--will shortly arrive.

Allons-y.

( hammering )

MAN: Get those other crates ready.

Take a good look around, Court.

You won't be seeing sunshine again.

One thing I can always count on from you

is a few cheerful words.

See how smart you feel

after your little tour down there.

After you.

Take him in.

You know what would have happened

if this had hit the floor?

You appear to be very knowledgeable.

What would have happened?

We'd all probably be a memory by now,

scattered all over San Francisco bay.

It seems you've saved all our lives.

What do you know about fulminate of mercury?

I know quite a bit, sir. Maybe almost as much as you.

That might make you an expert, young man.

I don't know about being an expert, sir,

but I do know that it's an acid,

when it's combined with mercury it becomes an explosive.

So unstable, though, it's hardly worth using.

( chuckles )

Not even in these?

Rockets.

Why should you be so surprised?

It's what we Chinese are so good at: rockets.

Long before the rest of the world

graduated from their spears and bows and arrows,

we Chinese had developed rockets

to a remarkable degree,

but one element we lacked.

An effective priming charge, like fulminate of mercury,

which your government has now most thoughtfully provided.

Congratulations.

I'd say you're one up on the old Spanish garrison's 20-pounders.

Thank you.

Now, young man,

let's see what a strategist you are.

What could be the purpose of these rocket launchers

set up here in the cliffs overlooking the bay?

Well, if you could fire the rockets

without blowing up yourselves,

then you could control the bay.

You could bottle up shipping,

zero in on the mainland,

depending, of course, on your range.

If you could do that,

then you could name your own price for San Francisco.

Very good.

Very good, indeed.

I've been in a few prisons in my time,

but never anything like this.

The guards tell me that no one has ever left here.

( chuckles )

Let us say the troublemakers among the inmates

don't leave to discuss what they've seen.

Well, sir, I'm very impressed with all this.

I'd like to get over on your side.

Unfortunately, for you, my side is quite full.

Take him.

Bright young man.

But they're always the troublesome ones.

( both laughing )

Make sure the rockets are properly stationed.

Hey!

I'll take over now.

Nobody told me nothing about that.

Now, look, buddy, I'm just following orders.

Yeah? How come I never seen you before?

Well, you see, it's like this.

It so happens--

Where the devil is this? Is this Alcatraz?

This is it. Well?

Din Chang is up to his neck in rockets.

Somehow he's managed to take over this whole fort.

If these aren't the real guards, where are they?

I don't know.

Why don't you try and find out?

I've got work to do topside.

Right.

( door opens )

I was told you were waiting for me.

You may inform Colonel Morse

that I must see him immediately.

Oh, I'm sorry.

The colonel has been called away to the presidio.

In his absence,

I am acting commandant, of course.

May I help you?

It's about the bunker.

I see men being detailed there,

but no one ever returns.

Oh, come, come, doctor.

That's just barracks rumors you're repeating.

The men are transferred to the mainland.

That's why you don't see them again.

Then there's the matter of Private Court.

Well, what about him?

Well, it's-- It's something that he kept repeating.

Something about a dangerous killer

that he was trailing.

He has quite a selection to choose from here.

Was there any description?

Yes, I remember his exact words.

Din Chang.

A Chinese named Din Chang.

Uh, Chinese, you said?

( ominous theme playing )

( Gibson screams )

A Chinese named Din Chang?

Did he also say that Din Chang is an expert with a knife?

You see, Dr. Gibson,

as long as you were the lovely, dedicated healer of wounds,

and stayed in your antiseptic world of bandages,

your safety was assured,

but now--?

You weren't so difficult to find.

In the absence of Major Frey,

you're going to do a few things for me.

Yes?

Destroy those rockets and the launcher.

Go on.

And what about the real personnel of Alcatraz?

The real guard--?

Our young Mr. Court

seems to be a bird of a different feather.

Oh, yes. You're from the police.

Or perhaps even from the government.

But it doesn't really matter, of course,

because in exactly 28 minutes--

You won't be around to see it, of course.

--but your gallant United States fleet

will be resting on the bottom of the bay.

( chuckles )

Come. You'll enjoy the sight.

You see, it's the fleet returning from maneuvers,

sailing peacefully into a quiet harbor.

And why not?

The Navy would never fear anything

from its own Fort Alcatraz, eh?

Which is so strategically situated--

Designed, you might say.

--to bring any vessel in the bay under its guns and rockets,

and so blast any hull to perdition.

What do you hope to accomplish?

You may sink a few ships,

but soon you'll be bombed out or starved out.

Corporal.

In addition to asking far too many questions,

our friends here have become quite troublesome.

I believe we have a perfectly good wall

on the parade ground.

Get rid of them.

Yes, sir.

It's about time we put it to work.

Fall in behind me.

March!

About 26 minutes to go?

I suggest we get along to the bunker.

Detail, halt!

You two, fall in.

Court,

I've been waiting for this

ever since you first showed up here.

Position prisoners!

Ready.

PIKE: Hold it!

Hold it! Hold it!

Corporal, I got a change of orders.

I just got the word from Chang

that you're to take them back to the infirmary.

Tell you what,

you tell him you got to me too late.

PIKE: Well, I-I can't do that.

SIMON: You can do anything I tell you.

PIKE: I-I-I can't take on that responsibility.

Get out of the way! I got unfinished business here.

Ready? Hold it!

I-I-I got something here.

That's it.

Now, you stay right there.

I don't know who you are,

but you drop that box and get your hands up.

But-- I-I-It will break.

Drop it!

Well, if that's what you want.

I think the real guards are in the old dungeon.

We don't have much time.

They'll use those rockets on our fleet.

The fleet?

They're crazy.

They may blow up a ship or two,

but they can't go up against the combined guns

of the Army and Navy.

I know how we can warn the Navy.

There's a boat in a cove on the other side of the island.

It's all hidden. Covered over.

They had their own one-way ticket out of here.

Try and release those guards,

we're going to need all the help we can get.

I'm going to try and destroy the rocket launch.

Stick close.

If anybody sees us, you're my prisoner.

Fleet approaching, sir.

Very well.

Almost in range.

When they get to zero point, start firing.

I'll be watching from the tower.

Yes, sir.

CROOK: Lead ship coming into range.

Stand by.

Ready for countdown.

Five.

Four.

Three.

Two.

Fire rocket one!

Prepare for rocket two.

Countdown. Five.

Four.

Three.

( action theme playing )

CROOK: Get out of here!

( explosion )

( coughing )

If I were you, I'd drop anchor.

( gunshots )

Garrison is liberated,

and the situation is well in hand.

Shouldn't you pick them up?

All in good time, captain. All in good time.

PIKE: So you see, the idea was that with the fleet

tied up firing on Alcatraz,

they could land at the presidio,

rob a rather sizable payroll

that had arrived for the fleet,

and make off with it without anyone being the wiser.

Why, that's downright thrilling,

but I think we'd better

be getting along to dinner now.

It is getting awfully late.

So right, ladies. Ladies, you are so right.

Shall we, James?

What's the matter?

Aren't you enjoying yourself?

Oh, no. That's not it at all.

I'm actually really enjoying myself.

You see, I've been thinking about my other partner,

Artemus Gordon.

He was sent to Washington, and I've been there--

Boring, a lot of desk work, a lot of paperwork.

--and I'm just wondering if he's enjoying himself.

PIKE: Speaking of Artie,

that reminds me,

a package arrived for him today.

One of those talking records.

Oh, could we hear it?

WOMAN ( on record ): Good evening, Mr. West, Mr. Pike.

Mr. Gordon has been so busy

that he hasn't time to send you this himself,

so he asked me, as a favor,

( giggling ): to send it to you.

He wants you to know that it's just work, work,

( giggling ): work all the time.

He also says he may be here longer than he first thought,

( giggling ): and he did want me to tell you

that he thinks of you all the time.

So until we hear from you, oh, good night.

( giggling )

( all chuckling )

Work, work, work.

Yeah, well,

I think I'm really ready for dinner right now.

( peaceful theme playing )

( woman giggling )

( door shuts )

( woman giggling )

( upbeat country theme playing )

( upbeat country theme playing )